The former Blues striker knows all about the pressures of performing in west London and is expecting big things from a Germany international
Chelsea saw one of their summer signings catch the eye in a 3-1 victory over Brighton, and former Blues striker Chris Sutton is backing ‘Turbo Timo’ Werner to terrorise Premier League defences.
Frank Lampard has welcomed a number of fresh faces into his ranks at Stamford Bridge.
Not all of those are ready to be unleashed just yet, with new recruits being eased into the fold.
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Germany international Werner and fellow countryman Kai Havertz were given their competitive debuts for the Blues in a meeting with the Seagulls on Monday.
They are being backed to hit the ground running in English football, but experienced contrasting fortunes on their respective bows for Chelsea.
Havertz found the going tough at the Amex Stadium, but Werner looked lively and won the penalty that allowed Jorginho to open the scoring on the south coast.
His impressive strike rate at RB Leipzig, and at international level, suggests that goals will flow for the 24-year-old once he is off the mark – with those around him also set to benefit from his presence.
Sutton believes Werner will prove to be a star, with a man who knows all about the pressures of leading the line for Chelsea on the back of a high-profile transfer telling the Daily Mail: “Werner was caught offside more than any other player in Europe’s elite leagues last season.
“He was flagged 43 times for RB Leipzig and on Monday night we saw him caught twice inside the opening seven minutes for Chelsea. But when he times it right, those runs behind are terrifying for defenders and goalkeepers.
“The 24-year-old was given the nickname ‘Turbo Timo’ earlier in his career for a very good reason — because he is rapid.
“When Brighton gave the ball away in the 21st minute and Jorginho played a pass through, it looked slightly ahead of Werner. But Chelsea’s new forward was onto it like a flash.
He accelerated and made sure he got there before Mat Ryan, who brought him down for the penalty.
“Then, in first-half stoppage time, with few other options, Werner burst away from Adam Webster and forced Ryan into a save. Webster was left trailing his opponent by five yards but he won’t be the last Premier League defender to succumb to the attacker’s pace.
“A number of his 28 league goals for Leipzig in 2019-20 involved him running in behind. That is what Frank Lampard wants from him, too.
“I know what it’s like to go to Chelsea, with that pressure on you to score goals. You can get stick if it doesn’t go according to plan. Werner couldn’t get on the scoresheet on Monday night but he did make his mark. He showed how hard he is willing to work for this team.”
While Werner and Havertz are up and running for Chelsea, Thiago Silva, Hakim Ziyech and Ben Chilwell are still waiting in the wings and could be joined by more new arrivals before the next transfer deadline passes on October 5.
